5 Things You Should Know About Deep Tissue Laser Therapy&#;

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Clinicians are using laser therapy more often than ever before to help reduce pain and inflammation related to many common conditions.

Thousands of doctors and patients have experienced the power of laser therapy and are familiar with its therapeutic effects, but for those who aren&#;t, here are 5 things everyone should know about it:

1. It reduces pain and inflammation without side effects
Laser therapy uses a process called photobiomodulation. Photons enter the tissue and interact with the cytochrome c complex within mitochondria. This interaction triggers a biological cascade of events that leads to an increase in cellular metabolism and a decrease in both pain and inflammation. Unlike medications, laser therapy reduces pain without undesirable side effects.

It is also important to point out that patients report long-lasting pain relief. While the number of treatments required may vary depending on the acuity of the condition, many patients experience lasting relief after only a couple treatments.

2. Can be used for acute and chronic conditions
When treating acute conditions with laser therapy, it is particularly effective when it is administered as soon as possible following injury (assuming there is no active hemorrhaging). The faster the inflammation is reduced and the healing process can begin, the better. In the case of acute injury, laser therapy helps restore the body to normal function quicker.

With chronic conditions, laser therapy is used most often to help combat persistent pain and inflammation. The new LightForce 40 watt XLi therapy laser is being used by clinicians to quickly reduce inflammation in patients suffering from chronic pain. This therapy laser is especially well-suited for treating chronic conditions because it enables clinicians to treat a wider area of interest while still delivering therapeutically relevant dosages.

3. Treatments can be customized for each situation
Lasers that have larger power ranges offer versatile treatment options. A laser that can be set to operate from 0.5 W all the way up to 25 W, allows the clinician flexibility to treat low and slow or at maximum output.

The availability of multiple treatment heads offers additional flexibility for the clinician. The LightForce Empower&#; Delivery System, for example, features 5 different treatment heads, each designed to facilitate optimal delivery in different scenarios. It is important to have several delivery options to ensure the delivery method is appropriately matched to the situation. For instance, when treating over bony prominences, an off-contact treatment method is advisable. However, when treating deep-tissue structures, such as a hamstring, an on-contact massage ball attachment is best to reduce reflection and scattering, and also encourage deeper penetration by displacing excess fluids. Different sized treatment heads can also be advantageous for administering treatments that require varying levels of precision.

Advanced software is another tool that helps with treatment customization. Influence Technology&#; allows clinicians to build custom treatments by selecting body region, condition, and specific patient characteristics. Touchscreens and intuitive selection processes make delivering the right dose easy. For even more customization, clinicians can also formulate their own protocols by entering a couple key components with LightForce&#;s newest software feature, Perfect Protocol&#;.

4. Treatments Feel Good
One common question related to laser therapy is, &#;What does it feel like?&#; Depending on the laser, it can create little to no sensation or it can create a gentle, soothing warmth. Many patients receiving LightForce Therapy Laser treatments report enjoying the experience, especially when a massage-ball treatment head is used to deliver what is often referred to as a &#;laser massage.&#;

Patients receiving treatments with higher-power lasers also frequently report a rapid decrease in pain. For someone suffering from chronic pain, this effect can be particularly pronounced. Laser therapy for pain can feel good.

5. Treatments Are Fast
With LightForce lasers, treatments are quick, usually 5-10 minutes depending on the size, depth, and acuteness of the condition being treated. High-power lasers are able to deliver a lot of energy in a small amount of time, so therapeutic dosages are achieved quickly. For people with packed schedules, patients and clinicians alike, fast and effective treatments are a must.

Read more about lasers for chiropractors and chiropractic laser therapy.

 

References

Hamblin MR, Demidova TN. &#;Mechanisms of low level light therapy.&#; Proc. of SPIE Photonics. ; : -01-12. doi: 10./12. Kingsley JD, Demchak T, Mathis R. &#;Low-level laser therapy as a treatment for chronic pain.&#; Frontiers in Physiology. ; 5(306): 1-3. doi: 10./fphys..

OTC medications only mask your pain temporarily. Cold laser therapy, on the other hand, provides long-term pain relief by advancing healing. Find out how it works &#; and learn about the many invaluable benefits it has to offer.

Whether it stems from a long-standing overuse injury, an age-related degenerative condition like osteoarthritis, a persistent headache disorder, or just stress-driven muscle tension, living with pain can deplete your energy, disrupt your sleep, make you less active, and diminish your quality of life.    

If you&#;re tired of masking your pain with medication, we can help. 

As chiropractic care providers who take a holistic treatment approach to musculoskeletal aches and pains, our Spine Care of Manassas Chiropractic Center expert team uses cold laser therapy to ease inflammation, alleviate pain, accelerate healing, and restore function. 

Here, Dr. Lincoln German and Dr. Mikaela Foley explore five essential benefits of this innovative, versatile, and highly effective treatment approach. 

1. Totally noninvasive 

Medical lasers exist on a spectrum: Surgical lasers emit high-intensity wavelengths of heat energy to cut, coagulate, and vaporize tissue, while therapeutic, non-surgical laser devices emit low-intensity wavelengths of cold energy to stimulate tissue healing and ease pain. 

 Cold laser therapy, also known as low-level laser therapy (LLLT), is a noninvasive way to help heal superficial wounds (class 3A lasers) and deeper musculoskeletal pain conditions (class 3B lasers). Depending on the nature and location of your pain, we can set the laser to reach two to five centimeters below your skin&#;no incisions necessary. 

2. Painless and soothing

The handheld cold laser device looks similar to a small flashlight. When we gently pass it across the treatment area, its non-thermal light photons painlessly penetrate your skin and subcutaneous fat tissues. The sensation of the laser&#;s energy is invisible &#; you feel nothing other than the light pressure of the device against your skin.

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At the same time, the laser&#;s cold energy quickly begins to stimulate improved blood flow and dial down localized inflammation that has a direct soothing effect.   

3. Multi-level healing

Cold laser therapy fosters healing at the cellular level to support recovery at the functional level. How does it work? It&#;s all about how the targeted cells interact with the laser&#;s energy and the cascade of healing effects that interaction sets into motion.    

When targeted body cells absorb cold laser energy through their light-sensitive receptors, they interact with it &#; in much the same way, a plant leaves absorb sunlight and convert it into growth-fueling energy during photosynthesis.

 When cold laser energy enters your body cells, it causes a chain reaction of healing:    

• Intracellular metabolic activity increases significantly

• The revitalized cells receive an influx of fresh nutrients

• Vital cellular energy (ATP) production starts to ramp up  

• Localized blood flow increases, improving circulation

By initiating this all-natural reparative process, cold laser therapy helps ease inflammation, repair tissue damage, improve nerve function, accelerate healing, speed recovery, and alleviate pain. 

4. Varied applications 

Noninvasive cold lasers are FDA-approved to treat a wide variety of pain conditions, ranging from muscle strain and joint stiffness to chronic back pain and even fibromyalgia. At Spine Care of Manassas Chiropractic Center, we&#;ve used LLLT to treat: 

Noninvasive cold lasers are FDA-approved to treat a wide range of pain conditions, from muscle strain to joint stiffness, chronic back pain, and even fibromyalgia pain. At Spine Care of Manassas Chiropractic Center, we&#;ve used LLLT to treat conditions as varied as:  

• Herniated or bulging spinal discs

• Myofascial tension or spasms

• Overuse injuries (i.e., tendonitis)

• Osteoarthritis joint degeneration

• Degenerative disc disease (DDD)

• Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS)

• Migraine and headache disorders

 Cold laser therapy is an effective pain reliever. It stimulates deep healing in all cell and tissue types, including muscles, ligaments, tendons, cartilage, and nerves. 

5. Therapeutic support

Because cold laser therapy alleviates pain by advancing healing, it&#;s an ideal care component in many circumstances. For example, athletes can use cold laser therapy to recover more quickly following competitive events. In contrast, people who are coping with a chronic pain condition can use the treatment to attain long-term relief without medication.  

In this way, cold laser therapy helps increase the efficacy of other beneficial pain interventions, including chiropractic care, massage therapy, physical and occupational therapy, and postural rehabilitation. 

Ready to find out how cold laser therapy can benefit you? Call or click online to schedule a visit at Spine Care of Manassas Chiropractic Center in Manassas, Virginia, today.

If you want to learn more, please visit our website Cold Laser Treatment For Menstrual Pains.